“The Tournament’s sheer scale, as much as the high standard of organisation, are what give it its unique atmosphere as a major event on the hockey calendar, every year. The Gazprom Neft Cup is important not just for its sporting element, but also in giving young hockey players from various countries the opportunity to engage with each other. I have no doubt that the impressions they take away will become lasting memories of their hockey-playing youth, for all participants.”

Welcome to the Gazprom Neft Cup — Europe’s biggest youth hockey tournament! This year’s event will include teams from Belarus, Finland, Germany, Kazakhstan, Latvia and Russia, and we are delighted to see two new contenders this year — Germany’s Jungadler Mannheim and Russia’s Admiral.

The Tournament’s sheer scale, as much as the high standard of organisation, are what give it its unique atmosphere as a major event on the hockey calendar, every year. The Gazprom Neft Cup is important not just for its sporting element, but also in giving young hockey players from various countries the opportunity to engage with each other. I have no doubt that the impressions they take away will become lasting memories of their hockey-playing youth, for all participants.

Welcome to the XII Gazprom Neft Cup!

Alexander Dyukov

Chairman of the Gazprom Neft Management Board

“You could say the Gazprom Neft Cup is the KHL in miniature — attracting new teams, expanding into new territories, and becoming a sporting event on a continental scale, allowing hundreds of promising young people to gain invaluable experience in competing at the highest level. Taking part in this tournament is a great chance opportunity for all young hockey players to take the first step in their career, and make themselves known.”

For 12 years now the Gazprom Neft Cup has been an integral part of the hockey season, and we are delighted to see such a major project handled under the auspices of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL). The Tournament’s prestige is growing every year along with its geographic range, with the Cup draw this year including a team from Germany.

You could say the Gazprom Neft Cup is the KHL in miniature — attracting new teams, expanding into new territories, and becoming a sporting event on a continental scale, allowing hundreds of promising young people to gain invaluable experience in competing at the highest level. Taking part in this tournament is a great chance opportunity for all young hockey players to take the first step in their career, and make themselves known.

I have no doubt that we will, shortly, be seeing some of today’s Gazprom Neft Cup players, having moved up the ranks in their youth and adult teams, appearing in their national squads.

I wish all Gazprom Neft Cup players an exciting Tournament, and every success! Fight hard, play fair, believe in yourselves — and make your own luck — and it’s bound to happen for you!

Dmitry Chernyshenko

President of the Kontinental Hockey League

“The Gazprom Neft Cup Organising Committee has decided that, going forward, we will expand the number of participants to include those countries which, while not yet represented in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL), are, nonetheless, at a high standard in terms of developing hockey. National Hockey Federations will be able to send one club from their country to the Gazprom Neft Cup, every year. In 2018, for the first time in the Tournament, a German club — Junadler Mannheim — will be taking part.”

Chairman of the Tournament Organizing Committee, Member of the Management Board, Gazprom Neft PJSC

We’re opening the XII Gazprom Neft Cup! This year 26 teams, from six countries, are taking part in our Tournament, often described as the unofficial Under-11s European Championships. The Gazprom Neft Cup Organising Committee has decided that, going forward, we will expand the number of participants to include those countries which, while not yet represented in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL), are, nonetheless, at a high standard in terms of developing hockey. National Hockey Federations will be able to send one club from their country to the Gazprom Neft Cup, every year. In 2018, for the first time in the Tournament, a German club — Junadler Mannheim — will be taking part, and we are delighted that it should be German team taking part in the Tournament. The German team has demonstrated the colossal progress that has been made in German hockey, taking silver at the last Olympics.

Teams from Belarus, Finland, Germany, Kazakhstan, Latvia and Russia will now be competing for the Cup for the 12th time at the ice stadiums of Sochi and Omsk. May the best team win!

Alexander Dybal

Chairman of the Tournament Organizing Committee, Member of the Management Board, Gazprom Neft PJSC